How many GB gigabytes for a one-hour program in SP mode?

[daysaf00]

Question concerning file sizes.

I have a bunch of ONE HOUR programs on VHS tape that I'm going to convert and would like to know the size requirements and specs. These were originally recorded from TV in EP/SLP mode (each T-120 tape has 5-6 programs that are an hour long). For quality purposes, I want to dub these to DVD (or my computer, mpeg) in SP mode.

Can someone tell me the file size (assume GB gigabytes) for a one hour SP program? That way I can determine the external hard drive size I will need for all of these.

Also if anyone knows the specs for LP and EP as well that would be helpful.

[hech54]

EP, SP and SLP mean nothing when transferring to a computer. Bitrate is your new "language".
https://www.videohelp.com/dvd#comp

[daysaf00]

Yes I understand this, but some of my VHS have already been transferred to DVD (in SP mode) as well as some in LP mode and I'd like to know if I ripped it to my PC, what the file sizes would be.

So if I ripped a 1 hour long DVD program (recorded on the disc in SP mode), what the file size would be in GB?

[manono]

No way to know. There is no SP mode for a DVD (not on a computer anyway). It's all about the bitrate. First you capture/transfer it to the computer. Even that can vary dramatically, depending on the capture codec, lossless AVI, DV, MPEG-2 at a fixed bitrate, whatever. Then the final size of the video on DVD depends entirely on the bitrate set in the encoder.

If you're transferring a DVD you made from a VHS tape, just open it in the computer DVD drive and you'll see the size. Or drag and drop the VOB/IFO/BUP files onto the computer and have a look. Maybe the SP Mode of a DVD recorder is a specific bitrate. I suspect that might vary, depending on the DVDR recorder used. But someone else experienced with DVD recorders will have to answer.

[Cornucopia]

What file size would it be? One hour long.

Yes, that doesn't tell you anything. Why? Because you didn't tell us anything.
1 Hour long on a DVD disc could be anywhere between 449MB (video @ 1Mbps) to 3.95GB (video @ 9Mbps). Actually, even slightly beyond both ends...
And it doesn't matter WHAT mode your VHS was in prior to being digitized (at least not AFA bitrate goes, it does matter quality-wise).

Maybe this will help out:
If your ORIGINAL VHS recording were EP/SLP, their quality is already quite compromised.
You DO NOT want to re-record them to SP - that doesn't help at all, and is SURE to hurt the quality.
Take your originals, and capture them directly. Notice I didn't use the term "rip" because that only refers to extracting digital files from an authored disc (CDaudio, DVD, or BD).

What settings to capture at? You don't say what you're using (hardware or software), so I'm going to make a guess:

1. DVD recorder (which has bitrate/quality levels with naming geared towards newbies, like "SP", etc)
2. ADVC or similar DV-oriented converter box, in through Firewire port to capture pre-compressed DV stream to file (at 25Mbps), to be later edited and converted to MPEG2/DVD at WHATEVER bitrate you desire...
3. Capture card set to record Uncompressed (or Losslessly compressed), maybe at ~100Mbps. Also to be later edited and converted to MPEG2/DVD...
4. Capture card set to record direct to MPEG2/DVD at bitrate levels in the DVD range. Simple author will prep the material for DVD burn readiness...

Let's pretend you're doing #4...

Choose either 1/2 D1 or Full D1 framesize (aka 352x480 or 704x480/720x480).
If 1/2D1, then your captures might be anywhere between 750kbps and 4.5Mbps.
If Full D1, then your captures might be anywhere between 2Mbps and 9.8Mbps.

The choice is up to you to decide which is the average/minimum bitrate to be able to maintain the quality level of the original (or alternately, a quality level that you deem acceptable).

Scott

[Bjs]

You should find those details in the users operation manual for the recorder ... ie mode = time x bitrate = file size

[robjv1]

If you're planning on using a DVD-recorder, can't you just fill up each disc and then rip those to your computer? Then each disc should come out around 4.7 GB/4.3 GiB, no matter what the bitrate. Probably a little less actually as many DVD recorders tend not to use all sectors for a totally full disc.

If the discs won't be full and will have variable sizes and modes and you plan on using a DVD recorder, your best bet would be to pull out the users manual, flip to the technical specification page and see if it lists the bitrate for video and audio. Be aware that most DVD recorders record two channel, AC-3 audio at 256 kbps. Some will do 384k AC-3 or PCM audio in the 1 hr mode, so you'll have to figure that in your calculations -- I'd recommend using VideoHelp's bitrate calculator.

What type of content is the source by the way? If it involves fast moving, highly colorful and detailed scenes you're not going to be happy with the results at 720 x 480 in SP mode (typically 4.5mbps) on a single pass DVD-recorder. I'd drop it down to half D1 resolution or record in the highest quality mode.